Combined multibarrel gun and range-finder.



[NVE/WOR ATTORNEYS 1 w 1@ ,j Q 4| NM1 wm N a 1 1m m NW@ i M E m m .lwR m uw mamma H. MAXIM.

COMBINED MULTIBANNEL GUN AND RANGE FINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

1,081,279. Patented July 2,1912.

w- -f-/T .3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N' y S Arroufr'.

H. MAXIM.

COMBINED MULTIBARREL GUN AND RANGE FINDER.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 1, 1910. LDS l.z mente@ .my 2, 191.9..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Mqwmmnmumuuu Hummm R M ATTORNEYS.

HUDSON MAXIM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COMBINED MULTIBARREL GUN AND RANGE-FINDER.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed July 1, 19710. Serial N o. 569,967.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUDSON MAXIM, of Brooklyn, New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCombined Multibarrel Guns and Range-Finders, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

ously or in' series, from a-multiplicity of barrels so mounted with respectto one another that the projectiles on striking the target shall be regularly dispersed or spread over the same, whereby the chances of hitting, and thus disabling, a balloon or aeroplane are greatly enhanced.

The invention contemplates the tiring of a `multiplicity of projectiles at high velocity,

which will carry them at very long ranges and with great accuracy, the' dispersion or spreading out-of the projectiles red being in all cases such that at 'any given range the projectiles on reaching the target shall not be spread out over an area greater in extent than the target itself.

With this object in view, the invention, broadly stated, consists of a plurality of gun barrels of any desired caliber, mounted upon a common base, gun carriage or other support. Preferably, the series of gun barrels are articulated to the base or support in such manner that their muzzles may be adjusted toward or from the common center of the group of barrels, and means` are provided j for so adjusting the muzzles of the barrels and maintaining them in such adjustment.

Preferably such means consists of a rigid centrally-arranged support, lixedly secured to the Vbase and projecting forwardly therefrom, the gun barrels bemg articulated to the base symmetrically around said support and projecting forwardly along the same at a greater or less angle thereto, according to the position of the adjusting devices. The central forwardly-projecting support may be, and preferably is, itself a un barrel.

Any suitable number of barre s may employed, as,for example six, one of which is ixedly secured to the basel and projects forwardly therefrom, while the other five are articulated to the base, preferably near the b reech end of the barrels, and are sym metrlcally arranged around the central for-v Wardly-extending and supporting barrel.

Preferably, the five barrels are articulated to the base by means of t-runnions on the barrels, resting in trunnion bearings on the base-piece, the arrangement of the trunnions and the bearings for each barrel being such that the barrels themselves move in planes radial to the central gun-barrel or support.

The base to which the barrels are secured is itself provided with trunnions resting in bearings provided in a lyoke-piece, which is secured directly to the axle or other portion of the gun-carriage, and vany suitable means are provided for turning the base-piece on its trunnions so as to give the gun the necessary elevation to point it at the target. One simple and etlicient means for thus elevating the gun consists of a pinion Secured to one of the trunnions of the base-piece, which pinion meshes With another pinion on a crank shaft, turned by any suitable means for applying power, as, for example, an ordinary crank.

The several barrels are provided with a common breech-block in which are mounted a series of tiring pins corresponding to the several barrels, and suit-able means are provided for opening, closing and locking the breech-block and liberating the firing pins to explode the cartridges.

Any suitable means may be Aemployed for symmetrically moving the muzzles of the eX- Iterior barrels in planes radial to the central support to give to the projectiles the spread necessary to have them just cover an area equal to the target upon reaching the same. I have shown for this purpose a disk provided with a central perforation and a series of symmetrically arranged perforations near the peri hery of the Idisk, the number of such lat er perforations corresponding to the number of exterior barrels on the gun. This disk is mounted on thelv gun with the centra-l support` or barrel passing through the central opening in the disk, and with each gun-barrel. in the outer series passing through its corresponding circumferential opening. By sliding this' adjusting disk rearward, the muzzles of the barrels can be spread outward with relation to the central barrel or support, and by sliding the disk forward, the muz'zles of the barrels can be sarily aud automatically secure the adjust.

ment of the gun-barrels, so that the spread of the projectiles at that range will be just sufficient to outline or encircle the target, thus greatly 'enhancing the probability of some of the projectiles hitting the target.` I secure this combination of range-finder, gunbarrels and adjust-ing means by mounting one member of the range-finder directly upon the disk employed for adjusting the muzzles of the gun-barrels, the other member of the range-finder being mounted upon the base-piece to which the outer series of gun-barrels are articulated. In sight-ing the gun'to nd the range, the disk carrying the open member of the sight is adjusted until the rays of light from the outlines of the target pass through the opening in the member on the disk, and t-o the eye of the gunner over the rear sight fixed on the base-piece. In thus adjusting the disk to secure the ranfe, the gun-barrels' are automatically ad? justed so as to lie parallel with the rays of light passing from the out-lines of 'the target to the eye of the gunner through the front or globe sight. In other words, by the adjustment of the globe sight upon the target when the'latter is just covered or inclosed by the sight, all the barrels will be directed uponthe target, so that the projectiles therey from will come within the outlines of the target. It will thus be perceived that I have provided a combined gun and rangeinder capable of use in all of the ranges for which the particular gun is adapted.

The inxventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, and for the purpose ofillustrating the invention, 1 have shown. only ene of thesel embodiments in the V'accompanying drawings, in which drawings Figure 1 is -a side elevation of the gun, showing in dotted lines the barrels elevated as for tiring at a balloon; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, and Fi s. 3 and 4 are vbroken details, of the breee -block locking mechanism and firing devices; Fig. 5 is a `vertical transverse section on the line 5-,5 of- Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a broken rear elevation of the gun; and Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the lineJl 7-'7 of Fig. 2.

Referring tothe drawings, in whichl like reference numerals indicate Alike parts, 10 is a cylindrical base-piece, provided with openings or passages 1 1 and trunnions 12, 12, by which trunnions said base-piece is mounted in a yoke 13 secured to axle 14, which is in turn carried lby the wheels 15 of t-he gun-v carriage, the latter being provided with a trail 16. Rigidly secured to, and projecting forwardly from, the base-piece 10 is the central support, here shown as a gun-barrel, 17. This barrel or support fits snugly within and entirely fills the central passage 11, so that it is incapable of any turning movement therein. The outer series of barrels 18 extend each through one of the passages 11 located near the outer edge of the base 10, the diameter lof these barrels being less than that of the passages 11, to permit them to swing to or from the central supporting barrel 17.

Referring to Fig. 6, each of the barrels 18 is provided with trunnions 19 at the rear end, mounted in trunnion bearings formed in triangular plates 20, located between the adjacent barrels, said plates being preferably secured to the base-piece 10, as by screws 21, to the end that they may be readily removed and the barrels taken from the gun when desired.

Referring to 2, the forward or muzzle ends of the barrels are supported in ball bearings.22 arranged in the openings 23 of the disk 24 adapted vto be moved along the rigidlyv mounted central support or barrel 17. The openings 23 in the disk 24 are arranged farther from the center of the rigid central support or barrel 17 than are the passages l11 in the base-piece 10, so that when the disk 24 is moved toward'the base-piece 10, the barrels 13 are spread radially at their outer-or muzzle ends, thus causing the projectiles'red therefrom to cover a larger area than when the disk is moved outward or forward,in which last case the projectiles fired from the gun will be more concentrated.. It will thus be seen that the gun-barrels are vreadily adjustable for use in long, intermediate, or'shert range fire. Where the target is at short range, the disk 24 is moved to give a greater spread to the muzzles ofthe gun; and when the target 4is at long-range, the disk is moved to give a less spread to the muzzles of the gun-barrels. As here shown, the adjustment of the disk 24 is ac-` complished by means of a sprocket-wheel 25 carried in a yoke 26 depending from the central support or barrel 17, over which sprocket-wheel asses a perforated metal strap 27, the per orations in the strap receiving studs 28 arrangedI on the wheel. One

endl of' thev strap is secured the rear side side of said disk. The sprocket-wheel 25 is rotated by any suitable means for applying forced forward by springs 35 reacting be' power, as, for example, the crank-arm 30 (Fig. 5).

Referring to Fig. 2, 31 is a bracket depending from the base-piece 10, and 32 is a breech-block or plate hinged thereto, and having hollow rearwardly projecting bosses 33, in which play the firing pins 34 normally tween the collars 36 on t-he pins and the plugs 37 in the hollow bosses. The pins proj ect rearwardly through curved slots 40 (Fig. 6) v.ina disk 4() mounted to turn upon the central boss 33. Said pins are provided with heads 39 having a. forwardly projecting tooth 38, and the disk 40 is provided with corresponding Grooves or depressions 41 (Fig. 4). Normally the position of the disk 40 is such that the teeth 38 on the firing pins rest against the rear face of the disk, but when the latter is turned slightly on its axis, the teeth 38 on the heads df the firing pins enter the grooves 41 on the disk, thus permitting the firing pins to be advanced by their springs sufficiently to explode the cartridges. The disk 40, as before stated, turns on the central rearwardly-projecting boss 33, and for this purpose has a hollow hub 42 encircling the boss, and is secured thereon by means of a set screw 43 entering a circumferential groove in the boss, as will beunderstood by an inspect-ion of Fig. 2. j

The base-piece 10 has a rearwardly extending hook 44 (Figs. 2 and 3), and the disk 40d has a latch 45 secured thereto, which engages the hook 44 when thedisk is turned to release the pins and explode the cartridge.

This turning movement of the disk is effected manually, and a handle 46 on the upper side of the latch 45 is provided for this purpose. The act of turning the disk'40 to disenga-ge the latch 45 from the hook 44 also serves to withdraw the4 tiring ins by the cam engagement of thet-eeth 39 with the sides of the grooves 41. In order to elevate the gun at any desired angle for firing, and

to aim the gun with ease and accuracy, a

gear wheel 48 (Figs. 5 and 6) is mounted on one of thev trunnions 12 of the base-piece 10, which gear wheel 48 is actuated by a pinion 49 intermeshing therewith and carried on a shaft turned by means of crank-arm 50.

The forward part 51 of the sighting and range-finding devices is mounted on the upper part of the disk 24, while the rear member 52 is mounted on the base-piece 10. It will readily be perceived that when the target is at short range, the member 51 must be moved toward the member 52, in order that the target may be brouvht within the outlines of the, forward mem er 51, that is, in order'thatthe rays of light extending from the outer edges or parts of the target may pass through the forward member 5l lto the eye of the gunner overthe stationarymember 52. Conversely,

when the target. is at long range, the member 51 will have to be moved outward or forward, in order that the target may just iill the opening in the forward member 51. Itwill also be observed that these movements of the forward member of the sightingdevice are secured by moving the disk 24, and that when the disk 24 is moved rearwardly, the muzzles of the outer gunbarrels 18 are moved outward radially from the central support or gun-barrel, and that when the disk 24 is moved forward, the muzzles of the barrel 18 are moved radially inward toward the central support or gunba-rrel 17, thus so combining the gun and the range-finder that the gun is always adjusted for any given range whenv the range-finder is adjusted so as to properly bear on the target at such range.

What is claimed is 1. A gun of the class described comprising a central support, a series of gun-barrels arranged around said support, and means adjusting in radial planes the muzzles of said barrels with relation to said support as a center.

2. A multibarrel gun comprising a fixed central support, a plurality of gun-barrels arranged around said support, and means adjusting in radial planes the muzzles of said barrels with relation to said central support.

3. In a multibarrel gun, a base-piece, a central support projecting forward therefrom, a plurality of barrelsv symmetricallyr arranged around said support, and means adjusting in radial planes the mugzles of said barrels with respect to said support as a center.

4. In a multibarrel gun, an axle, a basepiece connected thereto, a central barrel projecting forward from said bas-piece, a plurality of barrels projecting forward from said piece and symmetrically arranged around said central barrel, and means adjusting the muzzles of said last-named barrels with relation to the muzzle of said lcentral barrel.

5. In a multibarrel gun, a base-piece, a series of barrels jointed at their breech ends to said base so as to swing in radial planes, a central support projecting forward from said base-piece, and means 'simultaneously and symmetrically adjusting the muzzles of said barrels radially with relation to said central support.

6. The combination of a plurality of gunbarrels, a range-finder, and means simultaneously and relatively adjusting said range-finder and gun-barrels.

7. The combination ofy a range-finder, a series of barrels arranged around a fixed support, and means simultaneously and relatively adjusting the range-nder and said barrels.

8. The combination of a range-linder, a series of barrels arral'iged around a fixed support, and means simultaneously adjustjecting forward from said base-piece around said central barrel, and a member slidable on said central barrel and engaging each of the other barrels.

10. The combination of a plurality of gun-barrels, a support upon which saidsbarrels are mounted to swing in radial planes, and means adjusting said' barrels to a position parallel with the rays of light extending from the target to the eye of the gunner.

11. The combination of' a base-piece, a plurality of barrels articulated 'thereto around a central point, a sighting device through Whichthe rays of light travel from the outlines of the target to the gunners eye, and means for adjusting said sighting device upon the target and simultaneously adjusting said gun-barrelsto a position parallel With said rays of light.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HUDSON MAXIM. Witnesses ETHEL FITZ GIBBON, AUG; S. BRYANT. 

